About Google’s Project Loon

These balloons will be placed at an altitude of about 18 km in the stratosphere where wind speed is low and turbulence is minimum.

Each balloon can provide full wireless broadband internet coverage up to an area of 40 km and are powered mainly by solar panels.

These balloons have transceivers which can connect to cell phone networks in order to fill the gaps in their networks especially in remote areas such as mountains and deserts.

It promises to extend mobile and data coverage at cheaper rates for the people. These balloons will have a lifespan of about 180 days and can be recycled.

Some facts: Sri Lanka was the first country in South Asia region to introduce mobile phones in 1989 and also first to roll out a 3G network in 2004. It was also the first in the region to unveil a 4G network in 2013.